TOKYO: A particularly adventurous (but still totally cowardly) version of Princess Peach’s already-cute royal attendant, this Toad sports a head-lamp, a little scarf and a lust for treasure as he waddles around under the weight of his hefty loot-bag, which robs him of his ability to run or jump.
This twist on traditional Mario game play is an extension of a series of side missions seen in Super Mario 3D World and, while Captain Toad retains the gorgeous look and music of that game, the shift in movement makes for an experience focused less on action and timing and more on treating the landscape as a puzzle to be solved.
Slight ridges that would be a breeze for Mario or Luigi to step up on must be circumnavigated by our over-encumbered explorer, and traditionally negligible enemies like goombas and shy guys become horrifying brutes best avoided than confronted over the course of the game’s 70 or so diorama-like levels.
This is a game developed by Nintendo’s Tokyo EAD Group 2, a group responsible for that kind of Nintendo game that takes a simple premise and then peppers it with a hundred interesting ideas in succession – games like Super Mario Galaxy 2, Super Mario 3D Land and NES Remix – and Captain Toad is no different.
By far the best part of the game is loading up a new level and moving the camera around to every conceivable level to soak it all in. While some levels are simpler than others, they all have something to hide. Getting from the start point to the power star that ends the level is often a straightforward affair, but collecting the three hidden crystals in each stage will require a bit more exploring, planning and patience.
There is also a hidden objective in each stage that only reveals itself after you’ve played through once. Some of these challenge you to find a really well-hidden item or requisite amount of coins, though some require playing in a completely different way.
It really is worth your while to explore too, as fun secrets and adorable creatures are hiding in every inch of each level. Some puzzles are simply a case of turning a crank or flicking a switch, while more involved designs make use of powerups like the pickaxe or the double cherry. The classic Mario ability to pluck turnips out of the ground and throw them makes a return here, and can be used to great strategic effect.
Normal exploration-style levels are regularly switched up with more gimmicky stages, and while they don’t all come off without a hitch (I still believe there’s no decent excuse to ever have a player blow into the Wii U gamepad’s microphone), most are brilliant. Boss battles that pit Toad’s bumbling antics against giant lava monsters or a turban-wearing sorcerer bird are a great change of pace, while a few remarkable mine cart levels take players on a roller coaster ride and require using the gamepad to aim and toss turnips from a first-person perspective in order to collect coins and crystals.
Some will find the bite-sized levels and comparatively smaller scale a tad disappointing for a game at this price point, but with a good number of levels, plenty of secrets to uncover and heaps of potential for replaying, there is a lot more content here than first meets the eye.
The one criticism I’d make is that the need to constantly manipulate the the camera while moving around can be troublesome. Looking at each level from every angle is a key part of the gameplay, so it’s clear why camera movement has been made completely manual, yet it’s sometimes a chore to keep Toad in clear view to avoid hazards and enemies, particularly in the rare action-focused scenes. It gets easier with practice and is by no means a game-breaker, but it’s a niggle nonetheless.
The classic ability to pull up plants from the ground returns in <i>Captain Toad</i>, but they aren’t always turnips underneath!
The classic ability to pull up plants from the ground returns in Captain Toad, but they aren’t always turnips underneath!
Captain Toad is a beautiful and exceptionally charming game that presents a brilliant twist on the tried and true Mario platforming. Challenging you to think about exploration in a whole new way while frequently delivering that brilliant “I am a genius” feeling that progressing through good puzzles often provides, there’s every chance we’re witnessing the beginning of a successful and recurring new Nintendo franchise in this chubby treasure-loving explorer.
